Editing Lex Luthor (section)

==== Pre-''Crisis'' continuity ====
In pre-''Crisis'' continuity, Luthor is shown as having few personal attachments. Shamed by his crimes, his parents Jules and Arlene disown him, move away, cut off all ties to Smallville, and change their name to the [[anagram]] "Thorul". Jules and Arlene take their younger child Lena with them, who is only a toddler at the time and later does not remember her real last name. Lena Thorul is told her older brother died in a mountain climbing accident. Not long after their departure from Smallville, Jules and Arlene die in a car accident, leaving Lena to grow up alone. Like her brother, she attends Regis High School and then later becomes a librarian. Lena meets Lois Lane, who plans to mention the young woman in a story but is then warned not to by Lex Luthor. Superman and Lois discover the truth but agree to Lex's request that Lena not learn about their connection. Later on, Lena moves to Midvale and befriends Superman's cousin [[Supergirl]], who also winds up helping to make sure Lena doesn't learn the truth about her brother.

Exposure to one of Luthor's inventions later grants Lena ESP, making her an empath. Lena Thorul marries [[FBI]] agent Jeff Colby<ref>''Action Comics'' #317 (October 1964)</ref> (who had once arrested Lex) and they have a son, Val Colby.<ref>''Adventure Comics'' #387 (December 1969)</ref> Jeff Colby dies some time later.<ref>Revealed in ''Superman Family'' #211 (October 1981)</ref> After Lena has brain surgery, the decision is made to reveal the truth about Luthor to her. Luthor then discovers he was an unwitting party to a conspiracy against Lena masterminded by his own cellmate "Sam", who wanted revenge against Colby. Deeply remorseful about this, he apologizes to Lena and the two attempt to make amends with each other.<ref>''Superman Family'' #212–214 (November 1981 – January 1982)</ref>

The pre-''Crisis'' Luthor also has a niece named [[Nasthalthia Luthor]], the child of an older unnamed sister of Lex's who had run away and eloped in Europe when she was a teenager. Nasthalthia is an occasional thorn in Supergirl's side, at one point forming a gang called Nasty's Nasties.<ref>''Adventure Comics'' #397 (September 1970)</ref> Nasthalthia is removed from canon following the reboot of ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'', but does appear in the critically acclaimed ''[[All-Star Superman]]''.

Lex Luthor himself later marries Ardora of the planet Lexor and, in ''Action Comics'' #544 (June 1983), learns he has an infant son by Ardora, Lex Luthor, Jr.. Almost two months later, Luthor accidentally causes the destruction of Lexor, and Ardora and Lex, Jr. die as a direct result.